Snowdon

[usernotfound0000]

Going to Wales at Easter and staying near Snowdon. I’d quite like to climb it but wondering how doable it is with kids? Kids are 10&6, good walkers but never hiked before, they can happily walk 7-8km. I realise the weather important too so it might that the weather makes it not possible. Any thoughts?

It’s 15Km there and back.

More depending on car parking

Are you an experienced hill walker?

We’ve had ours up the fells in the Lakes since they were kids, personally wouldn’t take a 6 yo up Yr Wyddfa as a first walk.

As above (and I’m a local).

for something FAR less commercial (the summit is rammed, you’ll have to queue to get to it, and the amount of litter is embarrassing frankly) and probably anyway more interesting for that age look at Tre’r Ceiri - there is a route about 3 miles each way, it’s not as steep, and at the top there is a gloriously well preserved Iron Age hill fort. It’s on the edge of the range down into the Llyn peninsula - glorious views of Yr Wyddfa from there too.

Yep I’ve already talked myself out of it!
so plan b would be to take the train, it only goes to Clogwyn at the time of year - is it doable to get to the summit do you think? And then walk back down?

Your kids have never hiked and you think a walk up yr wyddfa is a good idea. Bless you OP.

It's hard for adults, the shortest path is at least 10k there and back and obviously you're just going uphill for ages and ages, no flat bits to give you a break. Just constantly up up up up for 3 hours depending on how slow your kids are.

The views are great but your kids aren't gonna be the least bit interested. I would honestly shelve it as a bad plan.

@Mykittensmittens ooh that sounds perfect! DH said the summit will be rammed but he’s always a pessimist 😂
I’ll have a look at your suggestion, that sounds much more doable, thank you!

Nothing to add except gratitude to pps for using Yr Wyddfa instead of Snowdon. 🙌

We walked it in June 2018 with our then 7 year old but he was used to hill hiking. We didn’t do it in the day, we went up for Sunset, only up the Llanberis path so not difficult, wasn’t very busy at the summit at that time and was a beautiful sunset on a beautiful day!

@usernotfound0000 I'd totally avoid Yr Wyddfa over the Easter weekend tbh. It will indeed be rammed. A really nice alternative is Tan y Bwlch, towards Porthmadog. Take the Ffestiniog steam train to TyB (it's about an hour and halfway on their full route to Blaenau). Get off there and there's a really nice woodland walk with sculptures, plus you can picnic by either Llyn Mair (bottom of the hill) or Llyn Hafod y Llyn (top lake near the TyB station). TyB also has a cafe with fab cake.

I'd second Tre'r Ceiri too, especially the hill fort. You can also visit Nant Gwrtheyrn near there if you can face the drive down the steep valley road. It's a Welsh language cultural centre with a tiny museum/restored quarry houses, a lovely cafe and a path down to the beach.

It's absolute chaos at the summit if the weather is tolerable. I wouldn't recommend it as a 'first hike" for a family. Kittens makes excellent suggestions.

Easter is the busiest Bank Holiday of the year personally I would avoid Snowden just pick another weekend. Remember it has ben known to snow at Easter so be prepaired.

I’ve done Snowdon before. I’ve got fairly robust and adventurous older kids as well and even I wouldn’t take them to Snowdon for their first hiking experience. Build up to it by all means as it’s a fab one but it’s not a debut.

Also as another poster pointed out, Snowdon at Easter is going to be the worst time to attempt it as the world and it’s wife will be going, not to mention the Instagram crowd.

I’ve been myself but thus far avoided taking my kids - they are now 9 and 11. I think they might get up it now but it would take a long time and a lot of bribery and they are fairly used to walking

That said I did see a few kids at the summit last time I was there (and the train was closed that day) so some def go

edited to add- I am fairly sure the kids that you see up there are seasoned hikers though. It is not for the faint hearted. Also I found coming down way scarier than going up

I love Nant Gwrtheryn, haven’t been in a while I must go there when I visit my ds.

We did it when DS was 7, pretty sure it was his first major hike and he had no problems. The pony path is straightforward and not complicated but I'd only do it if the weather was good. No fun otherwise. There were lots of adults finding it pretty tough though who were amazed he was doing it which was quite sweet and encouraging for him. If your kids are happy walking 7/8km they won't have a problem IMO, it's a lovely walk. Just take loads of sweets and snacks to keep them happy/going, plenty of water and a map and take plenty of rests.

We did Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis and Slieve Donard in subsequent years. Good memories!